A control device includes a moving portion, a magnetic element coupled to the moving portion, at least one magnetic sensing circuit responsive to magnetic fields, and at least one magnetic flux pipe structure. The magnetic element may comprise alternating positive and negative sections configured to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic element may be any shape, such as circular, linear, etc. The magnetic sensing circuit may be radially offset from the magnetic element, and the magnetic flux pipe structure may be configured to conduct the magnetic field generated by the magnetic element towards the magnetic sensing circuit. The magnetic element may generate the magnetic field in a first plane, and the magnetic sensing may be responsive to magnetic fields in a second direction that is angularly offset from the first plane. The magnetic flux pipe structure may redirect the magnetic field towards the magnetic sensing circuit in the second direction.

A permanent magnet in the form of a multi-pole magnet, comprising an isotropic magnetic material, having a central axis, magnetised such that the magnetic field, considered on a virtual circle lies substantially in a virtual plane tangential to the circle, and rotates inside that virtual plane, depending on the position on the circle. A method of producing a magnet comprising: a) providing a shaped body comprising an isotropic magnetic material; b) providing at least four electrical conductor segments; c) simultaneously make currents flow in each conductor segment. A magnet made in this way. Use of such a magnet for angular position sensing. An angular position sensor system comprising such a magnet.

An apparatus and method for determining whether a conductive ring is attached to an electrically conductive shaft. The body of the apparatus includes an electrical contact and at least one magnet in a magnet recess. The at least one magnet may include a first and second conductive region, where the first conductive region is a fixed, first radial distance from a center point of the inner cavity and the second conductive region is a second radial distance from the center point of the inner cavity. A shaft recess of the conductive shaft aligns with the magnet recess when the conductive shaft is inserted into the inner cavity and an electric circuit detects whether a metal ring is secured around the conductive shaft in response to simultaneous contact between: the metal ring and the at least one magnet and the conductive shaft and the electrical contact.

Aspects of the invention include a computer peripheral device comprising an input element that operates based on a performance characteristic, an electropermanent magnet (EPM) assembly including a permanent magnet configured to generate a magnetic field and a magnetizing assembly configured to set an intensity of the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet, and a magnetorheological (MR) material coupled to the input element. The MR material has a viscosity that changes based on the magnetic field and affects the performance characteristic of the input element.

The R-T-B-based magnet contains one or more kinds of rare earth elements (R), a transition metal element (T) including iron or iron and Co as an essential element, B, an element M that is Ga or Ga and Al, and C. When ratios of the number of atoms of R, T, B, M, and C are set as a, b, c, d, and e, respectively, relationships of 14%≤a≤20%, 70%≤b≤82%, 4%≤c≤7%, 0.009≤d/b≤0.035, and 0.025≤e/b≤0.055 are satisfied. The R-T-B-based magnet includes main phase crystal grains having an R.sub.2T.sub.14B-type tetragonal structure, and a grain boundary phase including an R-T-M-C phase. When ratios of R, T, M, and C in the main phase crystal grains are set as R.sub.MP, T.sub.MP, M.sub.MP, and C.sub.MP, and ratios of R, T, M, and C in the R-T-M-C phase are set as R.sub.RC, T.sub.RC, M.sub.RC, and C.sub.RC, relationships of R.sub.RC>R.sub.MP, T.sub.RC<T.sub.MP, M.sub.RC>M.sub.MP, and C.sub.RC>C.sub.MP are satisfied, and a relationship of 0.07≤M.sub.RC/T.sub.RC≤0.65 is satisfied.

A sintered R.sub.2M.sub.17 magnet is provided that comprises at least 70 Vol % of a Sm.sub.2M.sub.17 phase, wherein R is at least one of the group consisting of Ce, La, Nd, Pr, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yt, Lu and Y, and M comprises Co, Fe, Cu and Zr. In an area of the R.sub.2M.sub.17 sintered magnet of 200 by 200 μm viewed in a Kerr micrograph, an areal proportion of demagnetised regions after application of an internal opposing field of 1200 kA/m is less than 5% or less than 2%.

An electronic device includes a first body, a second body and a pivot mechanism. The second body is electrically connected to the first body. The pivot mechanism is connected between the first body and the second body and includes a shaft and a sheath rotatably sleeved on the shaft. One of the shaft and the sheath includes a first magnetic material, and the other of the shaft and the sheath includes a second magnetic material magnetically attracting the first magnetic material.

A system and method for perturbing a permanent magnet asymmetric field to move a body includes a rotating body configured to rotate about a rotation axis, a permanent magnet arrangement arranged on the rotating body containing two or more permanent magnets, and a perturbation element. The permanent magnet arrangement is configured such that an asymmetric magnetic field is generated by the permanent magnets about a perturbation point. Actuation of the perturbation element at or near the perturbation point causes a tangential magnetic force on the rotating body and/or the permanent magnet arrangement, thereby causing the rotating body to rotate about the rotation axis. The disclosure may also be used for linear motion of a body.

The R-T-B-based magnet contains one or more kinds of rare earth elements (R), a transition metal element (T) including iron or iron and Co as an essential element, B, an element M that is Ga or Ga and Al, and C. When ratios of the number of atoms of R, T, B, M, and C are set as a, b, c, d, and e, respectively, relationships of 14%≤a≤20%, 70%≤b≤82%, 4%≤c≤7%, 0.009≤d/b≤0.035, and 0.025≤e/b≤0.055 are satisfied. The R-T-B-based magnet includes main phase crystal grains having an R.sub.2T.sub.14B-type tetragonal structure, and a grain boundary phase including an R-T-M-C phase. When ratios of R, T, M, and C in the main phase crystal grains are set as R.sub.MP, T.sub.MP, M.sub.MP, and C.sub.MP, and ratios of R, T, M, and C in the R-T-M-C phase are set as R.sub.RC, T.sub.RC, M.sub.RC, and C.sub.RC, relationships of R.sub.RC>R.sub.MP, T.sub.RC<T.sub.MP, M.sub.RC>M.sub.MP, and C.sub.RC>C.sub.MP are satisfied, and a relationship of 0.07≤M.sub.RC/T.sub.RC≤0.65 is satisfied.

The disclosure describes a magnetic circuit assembly that includes a magnet assembly and an excitation ring. The magnet assembly defines an input axis and includes a pole piece and a magnet underlying the pole piece. The excitation ring includes a base and an outer ring positioned around the magnet assembly. The base includes a platform layer underlying the magnet and a base layer underlying the platform layer. The outer ring overlies the base layer. An inner portion of the outer ring faces the magnet assembly and an outer portion of the outer ring is configured to couple to an outer radial portion of a proof mass assembly. The pole piece and the platform layer include a high magnetic permeability material.